Rocco Nacino: I owe Direk Maryo

HOW DID Rocco Nacino feel when he auditioned with winner Steven Silva and first runner up Enzo Pineda for the role of RJ in "Gumapang Ka sa Lusak" and he was the one who bagged the role when he's only number 5 among the Top 5 winners of Starstruck V? "I guess I'm just lucky and I'm really thankful to Direk Maryo de los Reyes for choosing me," he says. "Baka may nakita siya sa'kin that I can contribute sa show. Lahat naman ng kasama ko sa Startstruck V congratulated me. I'm really happy na sa'kin napunta ang role ni RJ who's like a superhero for Jennylyn Mercado in the story at willing panagutan ang pinagbubuntis niya na anak nila ni Dennis Trillo. I owe Direk Maryo a lot kasi hirap pa rin akong umiyak but ang galing niya mag-motivate for me to convey the right emotions. I'm also happy to work with Dennis Trillo kasi I want to be like him who's versatile, puede sa acting, singing, and hosting."

But how come Direk Maryo is advising him to leave singing and dancing in "Party Pilipinas" and just focus on acting as it's taking its toll on his body? "I told him nahihirapan lang ang katawan ko kasi nasa adjustment phase pa ko. But I told him kaya ko namang balansehin ang lahat as I enjoy what I'm doing."

How come it's reported he's the one who spread the rumor that Enzo is gay? "Walang ganun. Bakit ko naman sisiraan si Enzo when we get along fine? Noon pa, ang dami nang tsismis sa'kin. Overconfident daw ako, mayabang, puro di naman totoo. But that helped me to exert more effort and be friendly to anyone."

A registered nurse, he would have gone to medicine if he didn't make it in Starstruck. "Now, I'm helping my parents send my only brother to school kasi gusto raw niya mag-law. Yun ang tulong ko sa family namin kasi most of my earnings go straight to the bank. I'm determined to hit it big as an actor but if I wouldn't succeed dahil grabe ang competition ngayon sa showbiz, at least, may fallback na ako as a nurse."

But we're sure his ever-increasing number of fans won't let him go back to nursing as they love watching him more acting and dancing on screen. Right now, the latest news about him is that he'll be the one to be paired with Kris Bernal in her next show as Daniel Matsunaga is already cast in Heart Evangelista's "Langit sa Piling Mo". "Sana totoo," he says. "I'd really like to work with Kris na sinabi rin daw gusto niya kong makatrabaho."